Chapter 4 - A Moment We Shouldn't Have Had

The door clicked shut behind us, sealing us inside a space far too small for the tension between us.

Himari stood in the middle of my room, her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to shield herself from something unseen.

Or maybe, from me.

I leaned against the desk, crossing my arms. "What do you want to talk about?"

She hesitated, glancing at the floor. "Ryosuke talked to you, didn't he?"

I tensed. "…Yeah."

Her fingers clenched around the hem of her sweater. "Did you tell him anything?"

I shook my head. "Of course not."

She exhaled, relief flickering in her eyes. "Good."

A heavy silence followed.

I should've told her to leave. I should've kept my distance.

But instead, I found myself watching her.

The way the soft glow of my bedside lamp made her skin look even paler, the way her damp hair clung to her collarbone.

She was standing in my room, late at night, dressed in nothing but a loose sweater and shorts.

This wasn't normal.

We weren't normal.

I ran a hand through my hair, forcing myself to look away. "Himari… we need to stop this."

She didn't move. "Stop what?"

"This. Whatever this is." My voice was sharper than I intended. "We're step-siblings now."

She let out a bitter laugh. "So what? Does a piece of paper suddenly erase everything we were before?"

"It should," I muttered.

"Then why can't you stop looking at me like that?"

My breath hitched.

She took a step closer. I could smell the faint scent of shampoo, something sweet and familiar.

Her voice was barely a whisper. "I know I shouldn't feel this way. I know we shouldn't do this. But I can't stop."

I clenched my fists. "Himari…"

"Can you?"

My heart pounded.

She took another step. We were so close now that I could feel the warmth of her body.

A dangerous heat pooled in my stomach.

This was wrong.

This was so wrong.

But when she reached up, her fingers brushing against my cheek—

I didn't stop her.

She tilted her head slightly, eyes searching mine.

A test.

A moment of hesitation.

If I pulled away now, this would end.

But I didn't.

Instead, I leaned in.

Our lips were just a breath apart when—

Bang!

A loud knock on the door shattered the moment.

We both jumped back, our hearts racing.

"Haruto?" My father's voice rang from the other side. "Are you still awake?"

Panic shot through me.

Himari's eyes widened. Without a word, she darted toward the closet, slipping inside just as I rushed to open the door.

My father stood there, yawning. "Why's your light still on?"

I forced a casual shrug. "Just studying."

He nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Alright. Don't stay up too late."

I watched as he walked away, waiting until I heard the distant sound of his bedroom door closing.

Only then did I turn back toward the closet.

Slowly, Himari stepped out, her face still flushed, her breathing uneven.

We stared at each other, the air between us thick with something we couldn't name.

This was a mistake.

A mistake we had almost made.

But as she slipped past me, whispering a soft "goodnight" before disappearing down the hall—

I knew it wouldn't be the last.